Monorail trolley



Jan. 30, 1962 c. CARROLL 3,018,739

MONORAIL TROLLEY Filed Jan. 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 30, 1962 c. CARROLL 3,013,739

MONORAIL TROLLEY Filed Jan. 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HI HIIEIHIHIIIHiHlHll United States Patent 3,018,739 MONORAIL TROLLEY Charles Carroll, Danville, Ill., assignor to Dulf-Norton The present invention relates to a trolley normally operated on an overhead monorail to suspend a hoist.

In the materials handling field, overhead monorail systems are found in many factories. Similarly, electrically and pneumatically powered hoists are used quite commonly in conjunction with the monorails so that the hoist may be moved around-the shop to load, transport, and unload workpieces. The hoists, however, being the products of different manufacturers, are often not adapted for use with the monorail trolleys in the plant.

The present invention provides as one of its general objects, a universal hoist trolley which is readily adaptable to a wide variety of hoists, as well as a like variety of monorail sizes.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a monorail trolley which is safe, rugged, simple, and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trolley which fulfills the foregoing objectives and compensates for undulations in the monorail, irrespective of whether the hoist is shaft-locked to the trolley, or hook suspended. Another detailed feature of the invention is the susceptibility of manufacture from machined or forged parts at low cost, thereby increasing strength, decreasing tooling costs, and simplifying maintenance and repair.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description of an illustrative embodiment proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodyment of the subject monorail trolley shown in conjunction with a hoist as supported thereby.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation in partial section, of the hoist and trolley shown in FIGURE 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view in enlarged scale, of the load supporting yoke of the illustrative monorail trolley.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the trolley and its associated monorail taken along section line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective exploded view of the trolley illustrated in the preceding figures.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, broken, partially sectioned, end view of the trolley and yoke portion illustrating the flexibility of the trolley in accommodating a different size monorail and hook suspension for the associated hoist.

In its essence, the illustrated monorail trolley contemplates a pair of side plates which are joined by a unique yoke only at the bottom portion thereof. The upper portion of the side plates support opposed pairs of flanged wheels which ride on the lower flanges of the monorail. The yoke is constructed in such a manner as to permit ready adjustment to a variety of flange widths on the monorail, and similarly adapts to both hook-type hangers and shaft-type hangers. A plurality of annular-type spacers, illustrated in the form of washers, combine with the yoke and side plates to furnish the requisite degree of flexibility demanded for universal shop operation of a single trolley. In the detailed description of the parts which follows, it will be observed how a theme of rugged simplicity permeates the entire design and the invention which it illustrates.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the monorail trolley 10 is positioned for operation on a monorail 11 which is in the form of a standard I-beam. The

backbone of the trolley body comprises a pair of side plates 12, 14. The hoist or other load 15 is suspended beneath the trolley 10 and supported on the unique yoke 20 which is illustrated in detail in FIG. 3. Four flanged wheels 16, 17, 18, 19 are arranged in opposed pairs and ride on the lower flanges of the monorail 11, as will be best noted in FIGS. 2 and 4.

, Referring now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the unique yoke 20 has a central circular portion 21 terminating in a pair of shoulders 22, 24 from which a pair of axles 25, 26 extend laterally. The axles are respectively threaded and their ends 28, 29 have a threaded fit with yoke axle nuts 30, 31. The axle portions of the yoke 25, 26 have unthreaded portions 32, 34 which serve to support a plurality of spacer washers 35, as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The central portion of the yoke 20 has a rectangular opening, the long axis of which is perpendicular with the axle axis of the yoke 20. The

dimensions of the yoke in a successful commercial embodiment will be set forth for purposes of illustrating those proportions found to be desirable. However, it should be understood that there is no intention of limiting the invention to these specific dimensions.

The over-all length of the yoke is 8 Each of the axles are 2%,;" long, carrying a 1 /2" terminal threaded portion. The axle diameters are /8", whereas the thickness of the central portion is The central section between the shoulders 22, 24 measures 3%,, with the rectangular opening being in the central portion thereof and one inch wide on its shortest dimension. The over-all diameter of the central circular section is 2 \Alternative types of mounting shanks may be matingly engaged with the central rectangular hole 36 of the yoke 20. The first embodiment of the mounting shaft 38 has a main cylindrical body portion 39 terminating in a rectangular boss portion 40 from which a threaded shaft 41 extends. The mounting shaft 38 engages the hole 36 of the yoke 20 with the shoulder 43 beneath the mounting boss 40 abutting the face of the yoke 20. The mounting boss 40 locked in the yoke hole 36 prevents rotation of the shaft mount 39, and the threaded end portion 41 is engaged by the shaft nut 42 which is separated from the yoke by means of a washer 44. A safety pin 45 secures the nut 42 against disengagement accidentally.

When it is desired to employ the alternative type hook mount as illustrated in FIG. 6, the yoke mounting nuts 30, 31 are released in order to rotate the yoke 20 ninety degrees. Thereafter, the nuts 30, 31 are tightened and the hook 44 extended into the yoke mounting hole 36. As will be further seen in FIG. 6, in the event a wider flange exists on the monorail 11, the nuts can be completely re-.

moved from the hook shafts and the spacer washers 35 spaced inside the side plates 12, 14, thereby extending the effective distance between the flanges 48 of the flanged wheels to accommodate the monorail 11. The lower ends of both the mounting shaft 38 and mounting hook 44 terminate in a collar 50 which is secured by means of a pin or screw 51 to the shank, thereby permitting the mount to rotate with relation to its associated hoist 15.

Referring now to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the side plates are modified inverted isosceles trapezoids. Three holes are bored in each side plate oriented so that their centers define an inverted isosceles triangle. The top two holes 52, 54 accommodate the axles 55 of the flanged wheels. The axles 55 have threaded end portions 56 which are secured to the side plates by means of the axle mounting nuts 58. Suitable axle mounting washers 59 are provided. The lower hole is the yoke mounting hole 60 on the side plates 12, 14, and receives the yoke threaded axles 32, 34, the side plates being spaced selectively with spacing washers 35, as pointed out above.

Because the yoke 20 is not positively locked against rotation, it is permitted to rotate sufiiciently to compensate for undulations in the lower flange of the monorail .11 so that the hoist 15, or other associated load, consistently hangs level. By orienting the yoke at the lower portion of the trolley 10, the hoist can rotate freely in any direction on its mount. In addition, the triangular relationship established between the wheel axles 55 and the yoke axles lends stability to the support of the-load. The yoke can be readily adjusted for accommodating either a hook or a shank mount, and may additionally, by varying the location of the spacers 35, be adapted to a wide variety of monorail sizes.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in full here, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to the details of such embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative embodiments, usages and equivalents of the trolley normally operated on an overhead monorail to suspend a hoist, as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, specification, and appended claim.

I claim as my invention: V a

A monorail trolley comprising a pair of parallel side plates having a plurality of opposed matched holes, pairs of opposed flanged wheels, each flanged wheel having an end threaded axle extending from the flanged portion for mounting in the upper portion of the side plate at opposed stations and perpendicular with the side plates, a yoke, said yoke having axle end portions threaded at the extremities, a central circlar bilaterally symmetrical fiat portion in said yoke terminating in a pair of shoulders at the axle portions, means defining a rectangular opening in the center of the circular portion, said opening having its long axis perpendicular to the flanged wheel axle ends; a plurality of spacers removably attached along the yoke axis selectively inside or outside of the side plates, first removable fastening means for securing the flanged wheel axle ends to the side plates and perpendicular thereto, second removable fastening means for securing the yoke axle ends in perpendicular relation with the side plates and centrally beneath the flanged wheel axles; and a hanger shaft, said shaft having a rectangular boss proportioned to mate with the rectangular opening in the yoke, a threaded locking shaft extending above the rectangular boss, and third removable fastening means mating with the threaded locking shaft thereby securing the hanger shaft to the yoke, when the flat portion of the yoke is horizontal, the elements being proportioned in such combination that upon removing said hanger shaft from said yoke, and rotating said yoke 90, the trolley can engage a variety of loads suspended from a hook engaging the yoke rectangular opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 505,743 Abbott Sept. 26, 1893 667,868 Cook Feb. 12, 1901 960,728 Steedman June 7, 1910 1,136,699 Moore Apr. 20, 1915 1,179,430 Hescock Apr. 18, 1916 1,551,308 Howard Aug. 25, 1925 2,281,794 Peebles May 5, 1942 2,470,060 Webb et al May 10, 1949 2,846,149 Newcomer Aug. 5, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 935,449 France Feb. 2, 1948 

